Daf 2a (דַּף ב ע״א)

While (Rabbi Shimon) was speaking these words (עַד דְּאָמַר מִלִּין אִלֵּין), behold, an elder appeared to him and said (הָא סָבָא אִזְדַּמַּן לֵיהּ וְאָמַר): And behold, it is written, “and the children you shall take for yourself” (וְהָא כְּתִיב וְאֶת הַבָּנִים תִּקַּח לָךְ) (Deuteronomy 22). The elder said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ סָבָא): all “et”-s come for inclusion (כָּל אֶתִין לְרִבּוּיֵי). And therefore it does not say “and the children you shall take for yourself” (וּבְגִין דָּא לָא אָמַר וְהַבָּנִים תִּקַּח לָךְ), but “and et,” to include the chicks (אֶלָּא וְאֶת, לְרַבּוֹת אֶפְרוֹחִים). But it does not say “the children you shall take for yourself” (אֲבָל לֹא אָמַר הַבָּנִים תִּקַּח לָךְ). He said to him: Blessed are you, holy spark, for so it is indeed (אָמַר לֵיהּ בְּרִיךְ אַנְתְּ בּוֹצִינָא קַדִּישָׁא דְהָכִי הוּא וַדַּאי). And children are indeed beneath the supernal mother (וּבָנִים אִינוּן וַדַּאי תְּחוֹת אִימָּא עִלָּאָה): Pious ones, Gibborim, Masters of Torah, Seers, Prophets, Tzaddikim (חֲסִידִים גִּבּוֹרִים מָארֵי תוֹרָה חוֹזִים נְבִיאִים צַדִּיקִים). Pious ones from the side of Chesed, the degree of Avraham (חֲסִידִים מִסִּטְרָא דְחֶסֶד דַּרְגָּא דְאַבְרָהָם). And it has been established concerning him: there is no pious one except the one who acts with piety toward his Maker (וְאוּקְמוּהָ עֲלֵיהּ אֵין חָסִיד אֶלָּא הַמִּתְחַסֵּד עִם קוֹנוֹ), who makes for Him a nest which is His lodging (דְעָבִיד לֵיהּ קַן דְּאִיהוּ אַכְסַנְיָא דִילֵיהּ). And this is the Shekhinta, which is His nest, His house, His sanctuary, His lodging (וְדָא שְׁכִינְתָּא דְּאִיהִי קַן דִּילֵיהּ בַּיִת דִּילֵיהּ הֵיכָל דִּילֵיהּ, מָלוֹן דִּילֵיהּ). And in the holy land this is His unity and His house (וּבְאַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא אִיהִי יִחוּדֵיהּ וּבֵיתֵיהּ). And it is not a lodging and a guesthouse (וְלַאו מָלוֹן וְאַכְסַנְיָא), but according to that man who prepares it for Her (אֶלָּא כְּפוּם הַהוּא בַּר נַשׁ דְּתַקִּין לָהּ). And for this reason Chesed is given to Avraham (וּבְגִין דָּא יָהִיב מִדַּת חֶסֶד לְאַבְרָהָם).

Gibborim from the side of Gevurah (גִּבּוֹרִים מִסִּטְרָא דִגְבוּרָה), who give strength to their Master to subdue a servant under his master and a maidservant under her mistress by the binding of tefillin (דְּיָהֲבִין תּוּקְפָא לְמָארֵיהוֹן לִכְבּוֹשׁ עִבֶד תַּחַת רַבּוֹ וְשִׁפְחָה תְּחוֹת גְּבִרְתָּהּ בְּקִשּׁוּרָא דִתְּפִלִּין). For whoever has no tefillin at the time of the recitation of Shema (דְּמָאן דְּלֵית לֵיהּ תְּפִלִּין בְּשַׁעַת קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע), from his side the servant and maidservant rule over the world (מִסִּטְרָא דִילֵיהּ שַׁלִּיט עִבֶד וְשִׁפְחָה עַל עָלְמָא). And at that time the Shekhinta is angered (וּבְהַהוּא שַׁעִתָּא רָגְזָא שְׁכִינְתָּא). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): “Under a servant when he reigns, and a maidservant when she displaces her mistress” (תַּחַת עִבֶד כִּי יִמְלוֹךְ וְשִׁפְחָה כִּי תִירַשׁ גְּבִירְתָּהּ) (Proverbs 30). And likewise She is angered yet more at the vile one (naval), when he is satisfied with bread (וְאוּף הָכִי אִיהִי רָגְזָא יַתִּיר עַל נָבָל כִּי יִשְׂבַּע לָחֶם) (Proverbs 30). Of him it is said (דְּאִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ): “Come, eat of my bread” (לְכוּ לַחֲמוּ בְלַחְמִי) (Proverbs 9). For he is a miser, vile with his money-villian (naval) is his name (דְּאִיהוּ קַמְצָן נָבָל בְּמָמוֹנֵיהּ נָבָל שְׁמֵיהּ). For he is not generous and he is not of the seed of the Patriarchs (דְּלַאו אִיהוּ נָדִיב וְלַאו אִיהוּ מִזַּרְעָא דַאֲבָהָן), of whom it is said (דְּאִתְּמַר עֲלַיְהוּ): “The nobles of the peoples are gathered” (נְדִיבֵי עַמִּים נֶאֱסָפוּ) (Psalms 47). For behold, the miser is poor in knowledge (דְּהָא קַמְצָן אִיהוּ עָנִי הַדַּעַת), since he does not do good to the masters of Torah to be a supporter in their hands (בָּתַר דְּלָא עָבִיד טִיבוּ לְמָארֵי תוֹרָה לְמֶהֱוֵי מַחֲזִיק בִּידַיְיהוּ). And Orayta without the commandments is not the Torah of Hashem (וְאוֹרַיְיתָא בְּלָא פִקּוּדַיָּא לַאו אִיהִי תּוֹרַת יהו״ה).

Masters of Torah from the side of the middle pillar (מָארֵי תוֹרָה מִסִּטְרָא דְעַמּוּדָא דְאֶמְצָעִיתָא), in which at midnight David would arise to join with the Shekhinta which is called Night (דְבֵיהּ חֲצוֹת לַיְלָה הֲוָה קָם דָּוִד לְחַבָּרָא לֵיהּ בִּשְׁכִינְתָּא דְאִתְקְרִיאַת לַיְלָה), and he is the “watchman, what of the night” (וְאִיהוּ שׁוֹמֵר מַה מִּלַּיְלָה) (Isaiah 21), the night of Hashem, “a night of watchfulness it is to Hashem” (לֵיל ה', לֵיל שִׁמּוּרִים הוּא לַיהו''ה) (Exodus 12). And because of this it is said: everyone who occupies himself with the Torah at night, the Holy One Blessed Be He draws upon him a thread of Chesed by day (וּבְגִינָהּ אִתְּמַר כָּל הָעוֹסֵק בַּתּוֹרָה בַּלַּיְלָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מוֹשֵׁךְ עָלָיו חוּט שֶׁל חֶסֶד בְּיוֹם), as it is said: “By day Hashem commands His Chesed, and at night His song is with me” (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר יוֹמָם יְצַוְּה יהו''ה חַסְדּוֹ וּבַלַּיְלָה שִׁירֹה עִמִּי) (Psalms 42).

Seers and prophets from the side of Netzach and Hod (חוֹזִים נְבִיאִים מִסִּטְרָא דְנֶצַח וָהוֹד), in which are included the two Names that are YAHDVNHY (דִּבְהוֹן כְּלִילָן תְּרֵין שְׁמָהָן דְּאִינוּן יאהדונה''י). In them are eight letters (דִבְהוֹן תְּמַנְיָא אַתְוָון), corresponding to the eight books of the prophets (לָקֳבֵל תְּמַנְיָא סִפְרֵי נְבִיאִים). And two prophets are the Twelve (וּנְבִיאִים תְּרֵין הָא עִשֶׂר), corresponding to the ten Sefirot (לָקֳבֵל עֲשַׂר סְפִירָן). Corresponding to this, Yechezkel saw ten visions (לְקִבְלֵיהּ חָזָא יְחֶזְקֵאל עִשֶׂר מַרְאוֹת).

Tzaddikim are from the side of the Tzaddik (צַדִּיקִים מִסִּטְרָא דְצַדִּיק). Concerning all of these it is said: “You shall not take the mother upon the children” (עַל כָּל אִלֵּין אִתְּמַר לֹא תִקַּח הָאֵם עַל הַבָּנִים) (Deuteronomy 22). And furthermore, those who occupy themselves with Orayta for its own sake (וְעוֹד אִלֵּין דְּעָסְקִין בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא לִשְׁמָהּ), and keep its commandments, which are 613 mitzvot that depend upon the Name of Hashem like grapes on a cluster (וְנָטְרִין פִּקּוּדָהָא דְאִינוּן תַּרְיַ''ג מִצְוֹת דְּתַלְיָין מִשֵּׁם יהו''ה כְּעִנְּבִין בְּאַתְכָּלָא), in order to unite with them the Name of Hashem in the Shekhinta (כְּדֵי לְיַחֲדָא בְּהוֹן לְשֵׁם יהו''ה בִּשְׁכִינָה), like a man who unites with his mate in all his limbs to bring forth exalted seed (כְּבַר נַשׁ דְּמִתְיַחֵד עִם בַּת זוּגֵיהּ בְּכָל אֵבָרִין דִּילֵיהּ לְאַפָּקָא זַרְעָא מַעַלְיָא).

Concerning them it is said: “You shall not take the mother upon the children” (אִתְּמַר בְּהוֹן לֹא תִקַּח הָאֵם עַל הַבָּנִים) (Deuteronomy 22). And those who do not strive in Orayta for its own sake (וְאִלֵּין דְּלָא מִשְׁתַּדְּלֵי בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא לִשְׁמָהּ), concerning them it is said: “You shall surely send away the mother” (אִתְּמַר בְּהוֹן שַׁלֵּחַ תְּשַׁלַּח אֶת הָאֵם) (Deuteronomy 22), “et” to include the Name of Hashem that departs with Her from that person (אֶת לְרַבּוֹת שֵׁם יהו''ה דְּאִסְתַּלַּק עִמָּהּ מֵהַהוּא בַּר נַשׁ).

And furthermore, those who honor the Sabbaths and the Festivals (וְעוֹד אִלֵּין דְּאוֹקְרִין שַׁבָּתוֹת וְיָמִים טוֹבִים), concerning them it is said: “You shall not take the mother upon the children” (אִתְּמַר עֲלַיְיהוּ לֹא תִקַּח הָאֵם עַל הַבָּנִים) (Deuteronomy 22), for they perform the act of children with the Sabbath the Queen (דְּעָבְדִין עוֹבְדָא דִבְנִין עִם שַׁבָּת מַלְכְּתָא), and with Kudsha Berikh Hu who is the day of the Sabbath (וְעִם קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דְאִיהוּ יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת). Whoever fulfills what is written: “And honor it by not doing your ways” (מָאן דְּקִיֵּים בֵּיהּ וְכִבַּדְתּוֹ מֵעֲשׂוֹת דְּרָכֶיךָ) (Isaiah 58), this is: “Honor your father and your mother, etc.” (הַאי אִיהוּ כַּבֵּד אֶת אָבִיךָ וְאֶת אִמֶּךָ וְגוֹמֵר) (Exodus 20).

For three worlds there are (דִּתְלַת עָלְמִין נִינְהוּ): two are inherited through honoring father and mother (תְּרֵין יָרִית בְּכִבּוּד אָב וָאֵם), and the third is inherited through Orayta (וּתְלִיתָאָה יָרִית בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא), which includes them in Ben Y-H [Son of Y-H] (דְכָלִיל לוֹן בֶּ״ן י״ה). This is what is written: “For He is your life and the length of your days” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב כִּי הוּא חַיֶּיךָ וְאוֹרֶךְ יָמֶיךָ) (Deuteronomy 30). “For He is your life”-in this world, which is the lower Garden (כִּי הוּא חַיֶּיךָ בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה דָּא גַן דִּלְתַתָּא). “And the length of your days”-this is the World to Come, the long world (וְאֹרֶךְ יָמֶיךָ דָּא עָלְמָא דְאָתֵי עָלְמָא אֲרִיכָא). “Upon the land which Hashem your God gives you”-this is the lowly world (עַל הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר יהו''ה אֱלֹהֶי''ךָ נוֹתֵן לָךְ עָלְמָא שְׁפֵלָה). And furthermore, those who bind the Shekhinta with Kudsha Berikh Hu by the binding of tefillin (וְעוֹד אִלֵּין דְּקָשְׁרִין לִשְׁכִינְתָּא עִם קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּקִשּׁוּרָא דִתְּפִלִּין), it is said concerning them: “You shall not take the mother upon the children” (אִתְּמַר עֲלַיְיהוּ לֹא תִקַּח הָאֵם עַל הַבָּנִים) (Deuteronomy 22). And those who do not bind them together (וְאִינוּן דְּלָא קָשְׁרִין לוֹן כַּחֲדָא), it is said of them: “You shall surely send away the mother” (אִתְּמַר בְּהוֹן שַׁלֵּחַ תְּשַׁלַּח אֶת הָאֵם) (Deuteronomy 22).

And furthermore, those who unite them together, to the middle pillar and the lower Shekhinta in the recitation of Shema (וְעוֹד אִלֵּין דִּמְיַחֲדִין לוֹן כַּחֲדָא, לְעַמּוּדָא דְאֶמְצָעִיתָא וּשְׁכִינְתָּא תַּתָּאָה בִּקְרִיאַת שְׁמַע), it is said concerning them: “You shall not take the mother upon the children” (אִתְּמַר עֲלַיְיהוּ לֹא תִקַּח הָאֵם עַל הַבָּנִים) (Deuteronomy 22). And those who do not unite them in the union of the recitation of Shema (וְאִלֵּין דְּלָא מְיַיחֲדִין לוֹן בְּיִחוּדָא דִקְרִיאַת שְׁמַע), it is written of them: “You shall surely send away the mother” (כְּתִיב בְּהוֹן שַׁלֵּחַ תְּשַׁלַּח אֶת הָאֵם) (Deuteronomy 22). In every place “Et” comes to include (בְּכָל אֲתַר אֶת לְרַבּוֹת), and here to include the supernal Chokhmah, the father of faith which is Binah (וְהָכָא לְרַבּוֹת חָכְמָה עִלָּאָה אַב הָאֱמוּנָה דְאִיהִי בִינָה). And concerning Her it is said here: “You shall not take the mother,” “You shall surely send away the mother” (וַעֲלָהּ אִתְּמַר הָכָא לֹא תִקַּח הָאֵם, שַׁלֵּחַ תְּשַׁלַּח אֶת הָאֵם) (Deuteronomy 22). This is what is written: “If you call for understanding” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב כִּי אִם לַבִּינָה תִקְרָא) (Proverbs 2). And She is the supernal Orayta, of which it is said: “Do not forsake the Torah of your mother” (וְאִיהִי אוֹרַיְיתָא דִלְעִילָא דְאִתְּמַר בָּהּ וְאַל תִּטֹּשׁ תּוֹרַת אִמֶּךָ) (Proverbs 1).